Window drape and curtain



1950 c. s. ROBERTSON EI'AL 2,524,477

WINDOW DRAPE AND CURTAIN Filed April 26, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3: 2 INVENTORJ- O 3, 1950 c. s. ROBERTSON EI'AL 2,52

WINDOW DRAPE AND CURTAIN Filed April 26. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TORJ Z J/IgVEN 8% Patented Oct. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ton, Mass,

assignors to Robertson Factories,

Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Connecticnt Application April 26, 1950, Serial No. 158,144

This invention relates to improvements in window draperies and curtains. More particularly it provides improvements in so-called pinchpleated draperies and curtains of the general type which are suspended by hooks, or the like hanger devices, from supporting bars or rods along which the hooks, or other hanger devices, ordinarily are slidable to facilitate a desired arrangement of the draperies or curtains.

So-called pinch-pleated draperies and curtains l0 have a top region wherein forwardly folded pleats are permanently maintained by stitching at spaced intervals across the width of each drape or curtain section, thereby to provide a pleated top region on each section from which the main portion of the drape or curtain section hangs down with a natural draping of the material in soft folds. A general natural uniformity of the draped efiect results from an approximate uniformity of the spacing of the permanent pinchpleats across the top region of each section, and any substantial departure from uniformity of spacing of the pinch-pleats destroys the desirable general eifect of uniformity of draping. Inasmuch as window sizes vary considerably in both Width and length, retailers of drapes and curtains have been confronted with the problem of carrying in stock an adequate Variety of patterns in all of the various widths and lengths likely to be called for by customers. When it is considered that there are as many as five different widths of windows in most sections of the country, and at least two different lengths of windows, it will be apparent that any dealer in draperiesand curtains has been required to carry a huge stock on hand if he expected to be able to show a reasonable selection of patterns in each of the widths and lengthsw-hich might be called for.

' It is among the objects of our present invention to make it practicable and feasible for drapery dealers to carry a substantially reduced stock of the so-called pinch-pleated draperies or curtains without diminishing the capacity of *his establishment for showing and supplying all of the varying demands of his customers. According to the invention, pinch-pleated drapery or curtain sections, for each window length, are provided in one or two different widths, and'each section is adapted to be combined with one or more other sections to provide assembled sections of any desired width which, in their assembled condition, hang and drape withgenerally the same effect as an integrally formed section of the same width.

6 Glairns. (Cl. 160126) Another object is to provide combinable pinchpleated drapery or curtain sections wherein means is provided in each section for convenient and effective joining of it to another section without any disturbance of the desired uniformity of the spacing of the pitch-pleats throughout the combined width of the joined together sections, and without the said means detracting from the appearance of a section when it is not joined to another section.

It is, moreover, our purpose and object generally to improve the structure and utility of window drapery and curtain sections and more especially such sections of the so-called pinchpleat types.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a relatively narrow window casing having a pair of pinch-pleated draperies suspended within the casing;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a wider window casing having a pair of pinch-pleated draperies suspended within the casing and comprising drapery sections embodying features of the invention joined together in accordance with the in- Vention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational View showing the front side of a top corner portion of each of two similar drapery sections in the process of being joined together, the illustrated pinchpleat of one of the sections being broken away to more clearly illustrate the manner and means of joinder;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational View showing the rear sides of the two sections of Fig. 3 after they have been joined together;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one type of hanger device which may be employed for joining the sections and for suspending the draperies from a conventional transverse rod;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the opposite top marginal portions of a pinch-pleated drapery section embodying features of the invention;

Fig. '7 is a rear elevation of the top marginal portions of the same drapery section shown in Fig.6;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional View on line 8-8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a top edgeview of the left hand margmal portion of the drapery section of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, the frame or casement of a relatively narrow window is represented at ID in Fig. 1 and a comparable frame or casement of a substantially wider window is represented at ID in Fig. 2. A drape or curtain traverse rod 12 is shown mounted across the upper.

portion of the window, within the casement of Fig. 1, and a similar but longer traverse rod I2 is similarly mounted across the upper portion of the window, within the casement of Fig. 2.

The individuals l4, l4 of a pair of so-called pinch-pleated window drapes are suspended from the traverse rod I2 within the window casement Ill in Fig. 1 while, in accordance with the invention, the individuals I4, I4, I4, I4 of two pairs of drapes are combined in Fig. 2 to provide a pair of drapes suitable for the wider window of Fig. 2.

The drapes are adapted to be suspended from the respective traverse rods I2, I2 by means of a suitable number of hanger devices I6. One satisfactory type of hanger device is shown in perspective in Fig. 5, and has two resiliently spreadable legs or prongs Ilia, I81), and a hook part Hie rigidly fixed to the generally U-shaped integral connection ltd which connects the legs Ilia, [6b together.

Each drape section I4 may be structurally the same although, if desired, they may be made in different widths. As herein, shown, all of the drape sections may be considered to have equal width.

Each drape section may be made of a suitable fabric material, or of any other flexible sheet material suitable for window drapes. Referring more particularly to Figs. 6-9, each side edge of a drape section I4 is turned over rearward upon itself and stitched at I8 throughout. the length of the section to. provide, a hem 20 along each side edge margin of the section as best seen in Fig. 7.

Then a top marginal portion of the section is folded rearward upon an adjacent portion of the section to provide a relatively wide double-thick band 22 across the top of the section. A stiffening sheet 23. may be inserted between the two thicknesses of the drape material throughout the extent of top band 22, and, the lower edge of the top band may be turned-inward over the lower edge of the stiffening sheet 23. and be stitched at 23.- to the stiffening sheet, after which the two thicknesses of the drape material and the stifiening, sheet therebetween are stitched together at 24, 26 along the top band portion of the opposite side edge margins of the drape section I4.

Next, the spaced pinch-pleats 28 are gathered, and each pleat is stitched at 30, 32, three forwardly projecting folds of the triple-thick top region forming each pinch-pleat 28. The stitching at 311 along the base of each pinch-pleat 2B secures together the out-folded thicknesses at each pleat so that a pocket 34 is provided between adjacent pinch-pleats all along the top band. Each pleat extends between the outer thicknesses of the drape material and the stiffening sheet 23 and is open at the lower edge of the top band 22. Also, a narrow pocket 36 is provided at each side edge margin of each curtain section I4 as a result of the spaced lines of stitching at 24, 26' at the opposite end regions of the top band. Each narrow pocket 36 extends between the stitches 24, 26 and is open at the lower edge of the top band.

According to the invention, any two drape sections I4, [4 may be effectively connected together by hanger devices, such as the device I6 of Fig. 5, to provide a wider drape section wherein the spacing of the pinch-pleats 28 may be uniformly spaced apart throughout the width of the wider section. For this purpose, a small, inconspicuous hole 38 extends through the drape material adjacent to each end-most pinch-pleat 28 at the outer side thereof and immediately below the lower edge of the top band 22. The hole 38 may be in the nature of a finished buttonhole, or may be provided by an eyelet or grommet.

When it is desired to connect two drape sections I4, I4 together, as in Fig. 2, one of the hanger devices I6 may be associated with the endmost pinch-pleat 28 of the left hand drape section l4, as represented in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3, the hanger device I6 has its leg or prong [6a inserted from the rear through the hole 38 in the left hand drape section, and this leg Ifia is exposed extending along the base portion of the end-most pleat 28, on the right hand side of the pleat, a portion of the pleat being broken away for clearness of showing. The other leg or prong I6 of that same hanger device I6 extends within the pocket 3G to the left of the illustrated end-most pleat 22 and is shown by dotted lines extending along the base of the pleat at the left hand side of the pleat.

Next the side edge margin of the other drape section I4 is arranged over the side edge margin of the section previously described, so that the said exposed leg or prong [6a can enter the narrow pocket 36 of said other section as the latter is drawn downward, as in Fig. 3. The hanger device [6 of Fig. 3 will be manually held in place as the overlying section is drawn downward until the top edges of the two sections are in alignment, at which time the side edge of the overlying section l4 will be held by leg or prong Hid against the underlying section and close up against the adjacent pinch-pleat 28. At this time, the side, edge of the underlying section l4 in Fig. 3 will be loose. Hence, a second hanger device 16- is next associated with the end-most pleat 28 of the overlying section I4 of Fig. 3 by inserting one of its legs or prongs I6b into the narrow pocket 36 of the underlying section while simultaneously inserting its other leg or prong Ilia into a pocket 34. Fig. 4 is a view looking at the rear of two joined-together sections I4, such as. those being joined in, Fig. 3. In Fig. 4, the right hand hanger device I6 is the same one that is shown in Fig. 3, and the left hand hanger device I6 of Fig. 4 is subsequently applied for securing the said loose underlying edge portion of Fig. 3. This latter hanger device is not required to extend through an opening 38, it being merely inserted, with leg I61) entering a narrow pocket 35 of one section, and leg Ifia entering a pocket 34 of the other section. The two hanger devices, as in Fig. 4, effectively join and maintain the sections 14 together, with the adjacent pinchpleats 28 at the region of joinder spaced apart approximately the same distance as are the pleats at other portions of the drape sections, Additional hanger devices I6 will be distributed at suitable intervals along the top band of each curtain section, for effectively suspending the sections from a transverse rod I2 or l2, with any joined together drape section draping nicely with an effect of integrality, Usually, a hanger device 16, will be located at each pleat, each being inserted so that its legs or prongs straddle the base of a pleat, with one leg in a pocket 34 at one side of the pleat and with its other leg in a pocket 34 at, the other side ofthe pleat.

It has been found that this securement of drape sections I4 together only at the top band 22 adequately maintains the joined together sections to provide the effect of a single wide drape section, the lower portions of the sections hanging down in a natural manner which gives the appearance of an integral wide drape section.

The invention makes itjpo'ssible and'feasible for stores and shops tocariy a substantially smaller stock of draperies as compared with what has been requisite heretofore for meeting demands for drapes of varying widths. Heretofore, such drapes have been provided in single widths, one and one-half widths, double widths, two and one-half widths, and triple widths. A so-called single width drape section may have finished width of from eighteento twenty-eight inches, and the one and one-half, double, two and one-half and triple widths have been correspondingly wider. It will be obvious that, in order to carry an adequate variety of colors and patterns in all of these various widths, and also in two or more different lengths, a dealer has had to keep an extremely large and expensive stock of drapes on hand. H

The present invention makes it possibleand feasible for a dealer to serve all of the demands for these various patterns and various widths and lengths of drapes from a much smaller stock of drapes, all of :which may have the same Width, if desired, with provision for joining one, two, three, or more drape sections to provide a section of any particular desired width. Or the sections, according to the invention, may be provided in single widths and half-widths so that single width sections and half-width sections may be combined to provide composite sections having desired widths.

According to the invention, each section will have one of the inconspicuous holes 38 adjacent to each of its end-most pinch-pleats 28, so that the drape sections may be used singly or be relatively quickly joined to :one' or more other sections, as may be desired or requisite, and any holes 38 which are not in use are so small and inconspicuous as to be unnoticeable when the drapes are suspended in a window casing.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty eXist in the invention disclosed.

We claim as our invention:

1. A window curtain section having forwardly folded stitched vertical pleats spaced apart substantially uniformly throughout the width of the section at a top margin of the section, the curtain material being folded rearwardly upon itself at said top margin prior to the said pleating whereby a series of pockets is provided at the rear of said top margin open upward between thicknesses of the top margin, each end-most pleat of the top margin being spaced inward from the adjacent side edge of the section a distance approximating the distance between pleats, means defining a relatively small opening through the section adjacent to each end-most pleat and at said lower edge of the top margin, each said opening being close to the adjacent pleat at that side thereof which is toward the adjacent side edge of the section, whereby the legs of a two legged hanger device may straddle the base portion of a said end-most pleat with one leg inserted at the rear of the section into a said pocket inward of said end-most pleat while the other leg passes through said opening to the front side of the section where it may enter a pocket at the rear of a section to be joined to the first mentioned section.

2. A window curtain section having a top margin with forwardly folded stitched vertical pleats substantially uniformly spaced apart throughout the width of the section and each end-most pleat being spaced inward from the adjacent side edge of the section a distance approximating the distance between pleats, means defining a relatively small opening adjacent to one of said end-most pleats and at the lower edge of said top margin close to the end-most pleat and at that side thereof which is toward the adjacent side edge of the section, means at the rear of the section defining a series of pockets open at the lower edge of the top margin and ex- ,tending upwardly between thicknesses of the top margin, there being one of said pockets at each side of the base portion of each pleat, said relatively small opening through the section being arranged and adapted to receive one leg of a two legged hanger device when said leg is projected through said opening from the rear of the section while the other leg of the hanger device is inserted at the rear of the section into one of said pockets, whereby said legs of the hanger device straddle the base portion of a said end-most pleat with one leg at the rear of the curtain section and the other leg at the front of the section in position to enter a pocket of a similar section which is to be joined to the first mentioned section.

3. A window curtain comprising two separate panels of flexible sheet material, each having a top marginal band folded and stitched perpendicularly to its top edge at uniformly spaced locations along the said top band thereby to provide forwardly projecting generally vertical permanent pleats distributed substantially uniformly along the top band; one said pleat of i the top band of each section being spaced from an adjacent side edge portion of its panel a distance approximately equal to the space between the pleats, whereby a side edge marginal portion of one panel may be overlaid upon a side edge marginal portion of the other panel with the adjacent end-most pleats of the two panels spaced apart substantially the same distance as the pleats 0f the individual panels, the underlying one of said side edge marginal portions of the panels having an opening therethrough at the lower edge region of its top band close to and at the outer side of the adjacent pleat of the panel through which the opening extends, and means for securing together said side edge marginal portions of the two panels comprising a two legged hanger device having one leg inserted upwardly between thicknesses of the top band of the panel having said opening therethrough, said leg being at the inner side of said adjacent pleat, and the other leg being projected through said opening and inserted upwardly between thicknesses of the said overlying side edge marginal portion of the top band of the other panel.

4. A window drape section combinable with a similar drape section to provide a relatively wide drape section, said drape section having a top band along which a series of outwardly projecting folds are formed in generally uniformly spaced relation, with an end-most fold of the series spaced inward from a side edge of the drape section a distance approximating the distance between adjacent ones of said uniformly spaced folds, means providing a pocket on opposite sides of said end-most fold of the series, each said pocket being at the rear of the drape section and being open at the lower edge region of said top band, and means defining a relatively small opening through the drape section close to said endmost fold of the series, at the outer side thereof, and at the lower edge region of said top band.

5.. A window curtain having a marginal por tion of substantial width across its top at which the curtain material is folded rearward upon itself to provide double thickness of the curtain material along said top marginal portion, said double thick top marginal portion being folded upon itself perpendicular to the top edge of the curtain at substantially uniformly spaced locations along said double thick top marginal portion to provide forwardly projecting substantially uniformly spaced pleats, the folds at each said pleat being stitched together at the base of the pleat perpendicularly to the said top edge of the curtain, whereby a pocket open upwardly between said double thicknesses of the curtain material is provided at the rear of the curtain between the locations of adjacent pleats, an endmost one of said pleats being spaced inward from the adjacent side edge of the curtain a distance approximating the distance between said pleats whereby a side edge portion is provided for underlying a similar side edge portion of a similar curtain which may be attached to the first mentioned curtain, said side edge portion also having a rear pocket open upward, there being a relatively small opening through the curtain material at the outer side of and closely adjacent to said end-most pleat and at the lower s3 6. A vertically pleated window curtain having means therein for joining it to a similar curtain while preserving an aspect of continuity and uniformity of the spacing of the pleats, said curtain having a plural thickness band of substantial depth along its top margin, and said band being folded perpendicularly to its top edge to provide forwardly projecting vertical pleats substantially equally spaced apart along said top marginal band, said plural thicknesses of the top band providing a pocket between adjacent pleats open at the rear of the curtain along the lower edge of said top marginal band, one endmost vertical pleat being inward from the adjacent side edge of the curtain a distance approximating the distance between said pleats whereby edge region of said double thick top marginal portion, whereby a two prong hanger element effec tively may secure side edge portions of two curtains together with one prong entering a said pocket of the curtain having the underlying edge portion and with the other prong passed through said opening and entering a said pocket of the curtain having the overlying portion.

a side edge portion is provided for underlying association with a similar side edge portion of a similar curtain, said side edge portion also having a pocket open at its rear side along the lower edge of said top marginal band, and means defining a relatively small opening through the curtain immediately below the lower edge of said top marginal band and closely adjacent to the side of said end-most pleat which faces toward said side edge portion of the curtain, whereby said side edge portion of the curtain may be joined to an overlying similar side edge portion of a similar curtain by means at the rear of the curtain having a portion extending through said opening for entering a pocket of a said overlying side edge portion of another curtain.

CHARLES S. ROBERTSON. ANTONE MATTOS.

No references cited. 

